New Patients

YOUR FIRST APPOINTMENT

Welcome! We invite you to use our online calendar to schedule your first appointment. You may also call our office or one of our therapists directly in order to ask any initial questions.

Your therapist will be notified when you book your appointment, and will send you a welcome e-mail which will include our initial intake and consent forms if you wish to review them and complete them ahead of time. We will also have copies available at the office should you wish to complete them when you arrive. Please allow about 10 minutes to complete your initial paperwork.

We are located in the RealPro Center, at 1513 Walnut Street. When you enter the building, please take the lobby elevator to the second floor. Then, hang a hard left and you will see our suite (215) down the left hand hall.

Your therapist will meet you in the waiting room at your scheduled appointment time. We do not have a receptionist, so please just have a seat when you arrive. Please do not enter any of the therapy rooms when you arrive. There are restrooms and water fountains available across from the elevators if you need them.

Your first appointment will entail completing initial paperwork and consents, discussing confidentiality, and answering any questions you may have. We will also complete an assessment that will help us better understand your history, what brings you to therapy, and what you are hoping to gain from therapy.

If you plan to use insurance, please bring your insurance card for your therapist to make a copy.

Your therapist will discuss treatment recommendations at the end of your first session, and will continue to discuss treatment needs, changes, progress, and recommendations throughout your time with us. Please collaborate openly and honestly with your therapist in order for you both to create an appropriate plan of care.

When using the Prepare/Enrich assessment tool as a consultation process only (i.e. not engaging in therapy), you will need to contact our certified therapists,Erin B and Erin H. and complete the assessment prior to your first appointment. At your initial appointment, you will receive a Couples Report and will review the results of your assessment. At the end of this appointment, you can discuss follow up appointments as needed, and can discuss insurance options if therapy is recommended.

This will depend on what is bringing you to therapy, how long struggles have persisted, and what changes you are trying to make. Change can be a difficult process that varies for each person, couple and family. It is usually best to come weekly at first, and to space sessions out as time goes on and progress develops. As you and your therapist get to know one another, she/he can better recommend how frequently you attend therapy. As progress is made and maintained, you and your therapist should discuss decreasing session frequency, establishing check-ins, or discharging from services. You are always welcome to return in the future as needed.

APPLY: Practice, more than once. Use handouts/techniques your therapist recommends; develop action steps and realistic goals towards change; and take one step at a time to move in the right direction.

ADVOCATE: Let your therapist know how you’re feeling about your therapy sessions, and if you feel they are not the right fit for you. Openly address factors or barriers that are preventing engagement in services.

Therapy can help with individual problems (stress, anxiety, depression, grief/loss, etc), relational problems (communication, connection, infidelity, conflict resolution, etc.) and family problems (communication, conflict management, adjusting to changes, parenting, etc.) Therapy can help you process and cope with stressors in a safe, confidential, and nonjudgmental environment. Also, relationships are known to impact our health just as much as diet and exercise can, so therapy is considered a necessary component of wellness should you be experiencing relational problems or stressors in an environment where you feel you lack adequate social support.

If you have had thoughts of wanting “to be gone” or “not wake up”, or if you have experienced suicidal thoughts or urges, then therapy is highly recommended. Further, if you are experiencing headaches, stomach aches, body pains, heart palpitations, etc., we recommend a therapy evaluation in addition to consulting with your primary care physician. While some of these physical symptoms can be medically relevant, we often see that there may be underlying stressors, emotions, or mental health problems at play. Finally, life transitions, changes, losses, and adjustments can “rock the boat” in a way that can warrant therapy as a helpful support and service during difficult times.

Please review our individual backgrounds to learn more about ways we can help.

The Prepare/Enrich assessment tool looks at your specific couple relationship and assesses domains such as communication, finances, stress, parenting, expectations, and much more! This tool can help highlight your areas of strength, as well as the areas of growth that may need addressed in therapy. This assessment helps both premarital and marital couples strengthen their relationship and gain the skills to have a lasting and successful marriage.

Yes! Erin B., Katherine and Stephanie are in-network providers for BCBS; however this excludes Blue Value, Blue Local, and Blue Medicare plans. All therapist are considered out-of-network providers on all other insurance panels, and can submit claims on your behalf, or can provide you with the paperwork needed to submit out-of-network claims yourself.

Yes! We want to accommodate everyone’s needs! Our intern offers low cost rates that range between $20 and $60 per hour and Erin H, Katherine and Stephanie offer a sliding fee scale that ranges from $65 – $95 per session. Your rate will depend on your household income, family size and financial hardships. All of our licensed therapists have a limited number of Reduced Rates slots on their caseloads. Please call to discuss reduced rates prior to scheduling your first appointment.

You can call us at (919) 909-1230, or you can contact your preferred therapist via their direct line. You can also use our online scheduler to book your own appointment. Please allow at least 24 hours notice if booking online. Also, if you do not see an available time that would work for you, please call and we will try to accommodate you as best as possible!

Using the e-mail confirmation that was sent when you booked your appointment (or the reminder e-mail that is sent 30 hours in advance), you can cancel your appointment up until 24 hours prior to your scheduled appointment time. If you need to cancel within the 24 hour window, please contact your therapist directly. All appointments canceled within 24 hours will be charged $85. No-shows will be charged $100. We are sorry but there is no exception to this policy.

Please contact Erin B. or one of the other therapists via their direct line if you have questions! We are all available by phone and e-mail, but are in appointments sometimes so please leave a message. We will respond within 24 hours. Our main line is 919-909-1230.